Crimson Butterfly
by xXx Fox Trot xXx
Summary: When Ed and Al take on a new mission, events befall them that could be worse than any nightmares they'd experienced before only now, they have a new weapon: the Camera Obscura. Rated for safety,first try at horror FF2xFMA COMPLETE!
1. I Hope We Don't Get A Welcome At All

**Alrighty then! I'm going to try this again: This is my newest FMA story! I hope you all enjoy it! Please review to it, because if I start getting more reviews from I'll be severely dissapointed... ; Anyways, if you couldn't telll, this is a crossover with the two ideas of FMA and FF2. It doesn't have the same charactrers as FF2, but it follows a story line that is similar...not exactly, but you know what I mean! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist of Fatel Frame 2, just the storyline I've added and the story itself... ; Alrighty then...  
REVIEW DAMNIT! **

**Crimson Butterfly- Chapter 1- _"I hope we don't get a welcome at all..."_**

* * *

Edward and Alphonse Elric sat in the grass, far into the meadows of Resembool, looking to the sky. The moon gleamed in the late night sky, filling the field with an unreal blue glow. Ed sighed, looking at the stars. 

"What is it, Brother?" Al questioned, looking at his brother. "Huh? Oh, nothing, just thinking…"

"What?"

"Well, I was looking into the forest. How many rumors do you think we've heard about that place? I know Mom was always afraid of it."

Alphonse followed the gaze of the elder brother, recalling how many things they'd heard about spirits and such penetrating from the deepest realms of Hell from within.

"I doubt any of them are true. What makes you think about that?" Al looked at Ed expectantly, awaiting the inevitable fate of his words.

"Uhhh… nothing. Just, this isn't really a vacation…"

Al groaned and threw his metal arms into the air. "I knew it was too good to be true! You've always got some mission or another! Why does it lead to Resembool though?" Al sighed, shaking his head. They never really did get a real break from the military business. But, what really worried Alphonse wasn't the mission, but why it would lead to such a quiet, tranquil place like Resembool?

Edward turned to the suit of armor, somewhat shrinking under his gaze. Guiltily, he answered, "Well, apparently, this mission has actually been open for a decade or so, but no one had the guts to take it on. In truth, this was supposed to be a break from that stupid Colonel, but it turned into this when Mustang came across this mission. And you know I can't let anything dangerous go uninvestigated in my hometown… not with all the people we know so close to the problem… I wouldn't have accepted the mission had it been anywhere else…" Ed finished with a sigh. "Sorry if I ruined it."

"No, Brother, I know what you mean. I would have done the same thing…"

There was a long pause, leaving silence hanging uncomfortably in the air, only to be ripped through by a long croak of a frog nearest the two boys. Ed jumped, startled by the sudden noise. Al laughed. Still chuckling slightly, the younger brother interrogated, "Okay, if there's a mission, you could at least explain what the rumor is about that you're investigating!"

Edward turned to Al, smiled, and began to explain. "Alright. The theory is that a village disappeared one night during this weird sacrificing ritual. Supposedly, this service was performed one or two times a year, stopping the gates of Hell from opening into the small town. But to do this, they have to kill off twins each year… that or closely related siblings. Well, one year, one of the twin sisters they were using escaped, and the other is said to have wiped out the entire town in that one night, realizing that her sister wasn't coming back to save her. Plus, since the ritual wasn't fulfilled, Hell has stopped the souls from going on to the afterlife, and the laugh is still heard throughout the village."

A chill ran down Al's imaginary spine. "What worse, it's said that every night, the ritual is repeated, but only succeeds if two travelers come through it. Unfortunately, we fit the criteria, so we need to be extra careful." Al looked at Ed wearily, thinking he'd gone crazy. "You really think we should go in there? I mean, if it's true…"

Ed burst out laughing. "What, are you scared? You're a suit of armor! How many times must I tell you you're safe! We need to start as soon as possible and since night just fell, now is the most opportune time. Let's head out!"

The blonde boy hopped up, strolling merrily toward the forest. Al was shocked. "Wa-wait a minute! We can't just trot in there and expect a warm welcome!"

Ed smiled. "I know! But we need to try!" He turned, his expression growing grim. "I hope we don't get a welcome at all…"

* * *

**Okay! Review and tell me what you think! I've already got chapter 2 ready so get prepared for it! This is my first shot at a horror story... so yeah... It's not going to be great. Love much!**

**REVIEW!**

**Hikari**


	2. Crimson Butterfly

**Okay! Next chapter is up! I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter! Anyway, tell me what you think! I'm very proud of this new story!  
**

**Hikari**

**Crimson Butterfly- Chapter 2- "Crimson... ... Butterfly... ..."**

* * *

The brothers waltzed deeper and deeper into the uncharted wood, looking for anything unusual. Somewhere around midnight, to Al's best calculations, they came to the dead end Ed had been hoping for.

He sighed happily, then turned back to Alphonse. "Whew. Nothing here. Guess the Colonel is as dumb as he looks. Let's g-…" Ed stopped mid-sentence, looking to their east, farther into the woods.

Al took no heed to his brother at all, consumed by his own joy that they wouldn't be diving head first into the same empty pool again; they wouldn't be put in dangers way on their two weeks off. "Alright, Brother, you wanna go back... Brother?"

Al turned around, searching desperately for his brother. "Brother? Brother! BROTHER!" He spun around. In the corner of his eye, he caught the wisps of red flapping in the wind, then the blonde hair of Edward. He sighed again. "Brother! What are you doing?"

No response. Ed just kept walking down the small trail that had been embedded in the dirt.

The suit of armor trudged toward his brother, trying to catch up with him. He's walking so slow, Al thought, how is it that I can't catch up?  
A shimmer of crimson in front of the elder caught his attention. "Wha…?" Al wondered.

"Crimson……butterfly……" a weakened voice whispered, though the sound echoed from deep within the flora.

Ed sped up, following the shimmer of light, soon breaking into an all out mad sprint. Al tried to keep up, but his metal body slowed him down. "Brother! Wait! Edward!"

Suddenly, the surroundings changed, morphing from their tranquil forested state. Buildings began to take shape; the sky turned a hideous gray color, though the moon shone a gratefully bright yellow light. The buildings towered over him, and a dense fog rolled in, coating the ground in its mysterious mist.

Al looked around, frightened. Ed was nowhere to be seen. What was worse? The town was a desolate wasteland of buildings with blood on the handles of ever door. No wall seemed to be safe from the red liquid and all things seemed to be tinted with its horrendous color.

The armor heard a groan to his right, and immediately spun around to greet it. A door creaked ever so slightly in the winds wake, then a body followed. Al smiled inwardly. "Brother! You're okay!" He took a step toward it before seeing who- or what- the corpse really was.

A man stepped forward, knife strokes across his chest, face and appendages. He moaned in agony, holding out a knife of his own in his own defense; either that or he intended to kill Alphonse. No matter how aware Al was that he was basically immortal, fear gripped him, holding him fast as the dead human limped toward him, weapon at ready.

"YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU BASTARD!" Ed hopped from the shadows, slicing through the monster with his metal arm. The corpse dropped to the ground, knife never leaving the half of him that had been severed. Ed's back still facing Alphonse, he muttered, "Clean cut, one down, who knows how many to go. Damn… And I thought it was fake…"

As if suddenly becoming aware of his younger brother's presence, he turned, his eyes wide with worry. "You're okay?" he questioned, looking at his armor carefully. Alphonse nodded. "I'm fine, how about you?" Ed gave a quick jolt as he heard another door creak. "Damn doors. Their going to be the death of us, aren't they."

"Don't even joke like that." Al said.

Ed looked to the ground, before finally asking meekly, "Al, I was wondering… How did we get here?" Al gave him the best questioning look he could, wondering how he could ask that when he was the one who lead them to this fate.

"Edward, you're the one who lead us here, remember?"

Ed raised a brow in question, scrutinizing his brother. "No, I couldn't have. The last thing I remember is turning to leave."

Al gasped. How could he not remember? It wasn't right… because he could remember him leading the way down the trodden soil path.

"Wait, you have to recall! You were following something…. Some floating, crimson something…"

"Crimson……butterfly……" the voice announced yet again, this time, though, Al could swear that he recognized the voice. To worsen the situation, Ed's pendant began to glow an eerie gold color, though not enough for either of the boys to notice.

As they continued to engage in this game of cat and mouse, that, unbeknownst to Edward, Al should have won, something was returning to its normal form extremely close to them.

A knife glistened in the moonlight, raising Al's attention. The sharp object began its decent, straight toward the top of his brother's head. "Brother! Look out!" he called.

Ed turned his head, diving out of the way at the last moment. He gripped his left arm, where the blade had grazed. "Damn it!" he mumbled. Note to self, he mentally checked, looking onto the dead man's body once again. Zombies don't die that easily.

"RUN!" Ed cried, turning tail and taking refuge into the nearest building aside from the one the monstrosity had come from. Al followed suit, diving into the door before the elder closed and locked it.

Ed sat panting, while Al tried to collect himself. "Well, this is going to be interesting…" Ed murmured, looking to his brother with a grim, yet at the same time amused smile.

* * *

**Okay! Thanks for reading! Please review and tell me what you think! **

**REVIEW NOW!**

**REVIEW FASTER!**

**Hikari**


	3. Camera Obscura

**I have returned! I hope you like this chapter. I think it lives up to the other chapters, just please, please, PLEASE! Review and tell me what you think. I'm sorry if it wastes too much of your time, but it really helps me if you waste it. Seriously. I love your reviews, and I love writing, but I really need the help.**

**I'm getting more reviews from GAIA ONLINE! YEESH! It's even on a special forum. Yeesh...**

**Seriously! PLEASE REIVEW!**

**---Hikari---**

**Chapter 3: Crimson Butterfly: Camera Obscura**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Sorry! ;**

* * *

****

Ed collected himself quickly before scanning the room, looking for any other zombies that were in desperate need of elimination. Al soon joined him, searching every nook and cranny of the area for anything lurking around uninvited… aside from themselves.

"Hey, Brother, check this out!" Al said in a lowered voice, so as not to catch the attention of anyone in the vicinity. The suit of armor began digging into a box as the elder turned. Ed gasped. "Are you sure you want to pummel through…" Al pulled out the camera he'd been looking at. "… that?" Ed finished lamely, waltzing over to Alphonse to inspect the camera.

The blonde turned the camera over in his hands, making sure it wasn't rigged or anything, before, defeated, he handed it back to Alphonse. Al handed a packet of paper to him soon after. "I found this with it." He announced, as though it wasn't obvious. Edward unfolded the paper and read:

_Camera Obscura_

_Research: Chapter 1_

_I inspected the well today, the one all the townsfolk are afraid of. Nothing unusual happened when I approached. It wasn't until this camera caught my eye that things got interesting…_

_It seems this device is a… visual portal of some sort, between our two worlds: the worlds of the living and the dead._

_Upon clicking the camera, I found the picture distorted and blurry. Then, to my awe and surprise, arms appeared, reaching out toward me!_

_I lifted the camera again, to be sure of what I'd seen. The silky black appendages lunged for me yet again, though this time, it felt as though they were pulling me forward, beckoning me to investigate deeper into the well._

_I did._

_I immediately wished I hadn't._

The letter cut off sharply with that sentence hanging in the air. Ed stared at the paper, perplexed by the words that were obviously laid with the camera on purpose.

"Well, Brother? What is it?"

Ed snapped from his daze as Alphonse shook his shoulder. "Huh? Oh, it's, um, nothing. Don't worry yourself about it." Ed stuffed the paper hastily into his pocket. _Al may only be a year younger than me_, Ed thought, protectively. _But I'm_ not _letting him get his mind wrapped around this junk. Better him thinking it's just a random camera._

He smiled, looking to Al. "Well, since we're here, best to try to find that guy, right? Maybe he's here somewhere… And, while we're at it, maybe we can find a way out ourselves."

Al nodded, taking a step forward… and regretting it.

"AH!" he cried, stepping backward. A woman had jumped onto the platform, her hair hanging deeply into her face. Concealed by the locked of black, her face was nearly invisible, but behind them, Ed knew, he probably didn't want to see… unless….

Ed stepped forward, paying no heed to his cowering brother. He merely chuckled to himself that he was afraid of such a petty joke. "Um, hello? Can you hear me?"

No response.

"Okay… What's your name? Are you hurt?"

Still, no reply.

Ed took another tense step forward, until Alphonse pulled him back. "Brother, don't." he pleaded. "She's not what you think." "Come on, Al!" he replied instantaneously. "There's nothing strange about this wo-"

A sharp pain sprang to life in the back of his head. Ed went flying forward, crashing headlong into a cabinet.

The last thing he saw was the distorted face of the woman: blood stains still dripping and fresh on her face; knife wounds ground deep into her eyes; one lip was actually hanging off of her face.

The last thing he heard, on the other hand, was his brother screaming in terror as the monster leaped forward, intent on delivering the final blow to the disorientated boy.

A bright flash of light, strangely, the thought, resembling a camera flash, flooded his vision; then, everything blurred out, and seceded to darkness.

Al shrieked as the monster lunged for his brother. Out of pure instinct, he lifted the camera.

A satisfying **CLICK**! emanated from the camera, followed by the horrendous cry of the woman as she faded away into the night, leaving nothing but a small, black pendent in the shape of a tear-drop behind to hint of her existence. For a moment, Alphonse stood their in shock. How could a camera kill a monstrosity such as that? He pondered.

That's when he recalled his brother's state.

"Brother!" he called, rushing to the elder Elric's side. He inspected the golden-eyed boy head to toe, only finding a small, but deep gash on the back of his head. He sighed with relief, and sat waiting for his brother to awaken. For when he did, he'd have a lot of explaining to do about that paper… a lot…

About half an hour later, a crackling noise cut through the silence. Al jumped in fright, the cracking almost as bad as a scream in the night. He stood, gathering his courage, and then walked slowly to where the sound was coming from. Pushing aside piles of junk from the desk, he came across a small radio with a small diamond in the middle of it.

It was a curious piece of work: a bubble shaped dome stuck out from the top-middle of it with a slot under the plastic. There were dials to change the bass of it, but no channel dial or volume. Nothing but the one dial. Speakers were built into the device, but were more prominent than normal speakers. Yet another infamous piece of paper- handwritten, I care to add- was placed beneath it, which Al gasped without hesitation.

_Spirit Reader:_

_Installation One:_

_Something of my own design; I've always been fascinated by the thought of inter-world communication. So, when I heard of the idea that thoughts could be stored in a crystal pendant, I had to try it. I collected a pendant of one of the young twin girls in the village and placed it in this: my latest invention!_

_It was a complete success, though the thoughts I heard, she had no recollection of thinking of._

_The crystal rambled on and on about rituals and escaping before it. _

_I found later that that, her not recalling that is, was a lie. She knew full well where those thoughts came from._

_A ritual is performed every year or so in this town that sacrifices 2 siblings to the gates of Hell to appease the Gods. _

_I did a little more investigation. _

(A few lines down…)

_Use:_

_Insert the pendant and listen. That's all there is to it!_

Al did as he was told and put the tear into the slot. The crackling became louder and he could vaguely make out words from the jumbled mess. It was whispered, as though the voice was weakened, but still heard.

_I… have to escape…The gate has… opened! I must get away… before it… is too late. The death is around ( a sharp intake of breath is heard) It's damning… us all! We are… doomed to the … Repitence! Help… me… Help… us… Get… OUT!_

The thought ends with an ear piercing cry of such despair and anguish that it pained Al to hear, and he pulled the pendent out.

"_Crimson…… Butterfly……" a voice rang out. Once again, Al felt he knew the voice, but ignored it._

Sighing, he returned to his spot next to his brother, counting his breaths… it was the only assurance that he had survived, if not only for a moment longer.


	4. Left Behind

**OKay! The chapter is up! YAY! WOO HOO! After four solid hours of writing, I've come up with a fifteen hundred word chapter for you all! 00 I know, my longest chapter in history! YAY! I don't mean just in this story, but in all of them! YAY!**

Alright, well, I hope you enjoy this chapter and the number in the middle of the sentance in the chapter will be explained at the end if you wish to jump down there once you've reached that point.

Please tell me what you think and tell your friends to read! I really love the responses: their what inspire me to do my best and keep on writing! 

**READ AND REVIEW! NOW! LOVE YOU!**

--LOVE--

Hikari  


**Crimson Butterfly: Chapter 4: Left Behind**

* * *

Edward awoke a few hours later to a dull throbbing in the back of his head. He opened his eyes, surprised by how dark it still was. He sat up and rubbed his aching head.

"Brother!" Alphonse cried, nearly tackling his brother to the ground. Ed called out in shock.

"Oi! Calm down, will ya?" he yelled, laughing in spite of himself.

"Brotherithoughtyouweredeadthenthezombiegirlshowedupandnearlykilledyouagainandiwasscaredandworriedandikilledthecrazycreepyladywiththatweirdcamerathinganditdissapearedandthenifoundaradioandheardherthoughtsthenisathereandwaitedforyou." The suit of armor choked out, invisible tears of happiness streaming from his red eyes.

Ed blinked, struggling to make sense of what the young Elric had said. "Something…. About creepy ladies eating… cameras?"

Al shook his head furiously. "Nooooo!" he said. "The creepy lady attacked you and tried to kill you, but I killed her first with the camera, found a radio, put a pendant with her thoughts in it, and read her thoughts."

There was a pause, then Ed asked the question with no answer.

"How… did you do that?"

There was another pause, followed by a clanking of metal as Al shrugged. "Dunno."

More silence.

"Hey! I was just wondering…" Al started. "What was on that weird sheet of paper from before? You know, the one we actually found with the camera?"

The elder cringed at the recollection then, reluctantly, he handed the journal installation over to his sibling,

Alphonse quickly scanned the paper. A gasp escaped him. "What happened to him, do you think?" he questioned to the empty air.

"Hell if I know." Ed responded. "But I'm not just going to sit here and wonder about him when we're the ones in immediate danger. Come on. Let's go."

They wandered around the empty house for a while, searching high and low for clues as to how to get out of this town, until they found a small, secluded room tucked in a corner, forgotten about by all of society. They ducked in, Ed in the lead with Al close on his tail.

Al peered around the room, taking in the sights: boxes were stacked one on top of another; a trunk was located in the corner. A platform stood in the center of the room, no more than two feet in height; the roof was tall with the rafters clearly visible in it.

There was an excruciatingly loud THUD! as Al ran into the stock still Edward. He quirked a non-visible brow in question to his brother's actions. "Brother?" Al said quietly, tapping his brother's shoulder lightly.

No reply.

"Brother?"

Still no response.

_This isn't the first time this has happened_, he thought, looking at the dazed boy in confusion.

He shook Ed. "Brother?" Shake, shake, shake. "Brother?" Shake, shake, shake. "BROTHER!"

* * *

Edward entered the room, his brother in trail. He looked around the room. He noted everything his brother did: the boxes, the trunk, the rafters in the roof, the platform…

The platform. It caught his attention nearly instantly. He stared at the raised area as his vision blurred in and out, in and out, in and out of focus until, finally, it all went black.

The older Elric collapsed suddenly, crumpling into his brother's arms. "BROTHER!" Al cried, shaking Edward, trying to arouse him.

Ed's vision returned to him, though he realized immediately that something was off. Everything was constantly quaking and colors flickered nonstop. The room was now totally empty, aside from the platform that still reached up from the foundation.

The golden eyed boy took a careful step forward.

When nothing happened, he stepped again.

Nothing.

He smiled and began to confidently tread across the room. Ed took note that the door had pieces of it clawed out, as though someone fighting for their very life had scratched into it.

A harsh wind blew through the room, billowing his bangs into his face. Brushing it aside, he turned around to greet the wind…. And his foot landed in a puddle.

"Hm?" he wondered, knowing full well that there was nothing in the room before and, unless the custodian had just come in- which was beyond unlikely- , there shouldn't have been a puddle there. Edward looked downward and jumped back in fright. A scarlet pool of blood stood at his feet, drenching his shoe with its malicious color.

Suddenly, bodies began falling into place (1), their hair matted and skin sopping wet with blood. Cuts streaked across their body in crazed patterns. The bodies covered the ground and hung from the platform as though they'd become a carpet of corpses.

Ed's eyes widened. He automatically took a recoiling step back, feeling the squish of a hand beneath the pressure.

He turned and turned wildly, only to find that the lone spot that was a haven from the dead was right beneath his own two feet.

The room began spinning. It twirled faster and faster until it finally halted, leaving Edward with a sick feeling deep in his stomach. He couldn't tell if it'd been from all of the spinning or the bodies all lying on the ground before.

Once again, his back was to the raised ground, and the room was clean of any signs of what had happened before.

He turned once more, afraid of what he might see.

Ed breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the two girls, standing side by side on the platform. They were looking at him, so he could easily tell they weren't like all the other's he'd seen throughout the night. Their faces were clean and clear of cut or blemish. They had identical black, silky hair, both at waist length. Their eyes were a dark brown, so dark that they nearly blended in with their own pupils. They had fair skin and small kimonos. Both were roughly four foot and 6 inches.

"Hey! You two okay?" he called, not trying to hide the happiness in his voice that it hadn't been more bodies.

Though they seemed oblivious to him. They peered down into a deep hole that had appeared in the middle of the raise room segment.

"You ready?" one said to the other.

"Yes." The other said.

"Ready…" They tensed their legs.

"Steady…" They bent low to the ground.

"NOW!"

Suddenly, they both turned and ran. "AFTER THEM!" a voice cried from behind him. Visions bled into his mind.

The children sprinted up the mountain for a long time until, finally, one lost her footing and fell, cascading down the mountain.

"SISTER!" she cried out, but the other girl kept running, ignoring the other's pleas for help as she was captured by the men below.

The scene changed. Now the same girl stood on the very platform he was in front of, laughing madly as the bodies reappeared. The blood was splattered all over her new kimono. Two men hung at her sides from ropes on the rafters. She continued to laugh wildly until, in all grace, Ed blacked out, leaving the bloodcurdling scene far behind.

* * *

Ed awoke later to Alphonse shaking him. "Brother! Are you okay?" he said, leaning close to his brother's face. Ed pushed him away. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry."

He rubbed his head, wondering what all the visions could have meant.

Very soon after- think instantly after he thought that- he found out.

A woman with a bloody kimono appeared before them, chuckling quietly to herself.

The Elrics froze stiff until she began lashing out at them, knives in each hand. The two fought to evade her attacks, Al snapping occasional, critical pictures with Camera Obscura.

Finally, after what seemed like 30 pictures, the monstrosity stopped attacking; she burst out laughing, then said quietly, "I always do enjoy such feisty victims.", then disappeared in an awesome flash of light, throwing the two boys into confusion and blackness.

* * *

This time, it was Al's turn to awake alone in the empty room. That is, empty as in without Ed. "B-brother?" he stuttered, afraid that something terrible had happened during the flash of light. He crept around on hands and knees, searching for any sign of the Elric's presence.

He found it in good time. A small, golden orb that matched his older brother's eye color lay on the ground, a string of brown attached tightly to it. He picked it up. _What could he be doing?_ He thought. _He wouldn't go anywhere without it… what are you thinking, Ed?_

_Would you like to find out? _A small voice in the back of his head whispered, urging him toward the radio on the far side of the mansion.

Al decided to risk going back. He rushed across the house, the path he'd taken with Ed burned deep into his mind.

Upon arriving, he placed the pendant gently into the machine and listened intently.

It worked well enough that he didn't even need to lean into the speaker. Ed's voice rang out loud and clear, as always.

_What's going on? Why do I see these things? Those girls…what were they running from? What's the secret behind this strange place? I have to know._

_I have to know the secret behind the town… the gates to Hell… everything. But most of all, I need to figure out this: Why us? Why me and Al? Why did we have to come here? WHY! _

_-Heavy, angered breathing was heard, as though Ed were angry more with himself than the problems he faced.-_

_And also: what are these things? These, floating specks that call me so? Where are they taking me? Why must I follow…_

_These…_

_Crimson Butterflies…_

* * *

**00 Oooooh! CRIMSON BUTTERFLIES COME INTO PLAY! WOOT WOOT! Anyways...  
(1) The bodies weren't really falling, mearly appearing quickly. Just something I thought I'd put!**

Anyways, really, please review and tell your friends about this. The more that read it, the better! I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to reading from you soon!

Hikari Your localized bringer of Crimson Butterfly .  



	5. Edward Or Sae?

**Alright I'm back! Sorry it took so long: writers block. But now, I'm back and better than ever! **

**Anyways, please review to my story! I'd love the feedback! **

**I hope you guys like this chapter as much as the previous and look forward to reading your reviews!**

**Disclaimer: I will never own it... until I'm the dominator of the world. 0o? **

**Chapter 5- Crimson Butterfly- Edward... or Sae?**

* * *

Alphonse stared in awe at the radio. These were Ed's thoughts? His true blue thoughts? Realization struck as he figured out who the voice that had been calling out had reminded him of: Edward. 

Al decided that it'd be best to take the radio with him, quickly stowing it inside his armor.

He scoured the house, looking top and bottom for any traces of his brother. Not finding any, he quickly gave up on the house at took to the streets. He found a door to the outside and found the clue he'd been searching for so intently: attached to the hinges were scraps of red material; the exact same material as his brother's jacket. _Well, that gives me something to work with, I supposed_. He thought, walking out the door with a little more confidence in finding his brother.

The suit of armor treaded quietly down the unpaved road, looking for more clues to the elder Elric's whereabouts. A street now lay before him, stretching two directions. He wondered which direction to take, looking intently at the ground for the first time. He mentally slapped himself. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier? Dirt roads equal footprints. Alphonse was now staring at the shoe prints of Edward, seeing that he'd turned left and continued going.

Now, Alphonse was the tracker in the Elric group. He could tell that Edward had a pebble in his shoe before Ed knew it himself by the small change in his steps. And now, by looking at the footprints, he knew something wasn't right. He stooped down and looked closer. Sure enough, his right leg seemed to be being slightly dragged, as though he'd been injured in the past and now had a slight limp. Something tugged at Al's mind, telling him something was wrong with it.

Still, he decided that, for once, his intuition must have been out of panic. If his brother was injured, he could take care of himself until Al found him. But why did he leave in the first place?

The boy began walking down the stretch of land, following the tracks like a hunter looking for his prey.

Ed stopped leaving tracks soon after, when a bridge expanded across an overfilled river. Without hesitation, Al started his walk at a steady pace across the overpass. About midway across, the boards collapsed, taking Alphonse down into the darkness of the water. Soon, he was sinking into the silent depths of the sea. He thrashed out wildly, incapable of swimming against the force of the water filling his armor.

As the light faded from the top of the water, surrounding him in blackness, Alphonse gave up hope. He just curled up against himself, hoping, no, praying to whatever God was up there, that his brother was safe and out of harms way. Then, he began to cry pathetically below the icy cold oblivion.

* * *

Edward stood up in the dark room, looking over and seeing his brother. He was still at a loss with his senses, he supposed, seeming how he couldn't exactly pass out. He wasn't restricted by those human limits. He peered down, the light gone from his eyes, a smirk on his face that was far out of place for his face. 

Slowly and silently, he began walking toward the door, though it wasn't of his own accord. In his mind, he was willing himself to stop, but it was futile. He was, evidently, leaving his brother behind, whether he liked it or not. Weakly, he lifted his hand against his chest, and snapped his pendent from his neck. Then, his mind was being controlled again, forcing the child to drop his hand, letting go of whatever it was that he'd grasped. They couldn't have him unconscious again if this were to work.

Unbeknownst to the spirit, he'd left the crystal pendent his father had left him behind. Yes, he still held it close, no matter how much he despised the man for what he'd done to his family. It was his only connection to him, his only hope that he might actually see him again, meet him face to face, and kick his ass: though it would be regretted most likely later on. He'd had it planned out perfectly. This whole possession thing hadn't quite fit in anywhere yet.

_Al says he can read thoughts from the crystal pendants left behind by people in the village_. Ed thought tiredly. _Maybe… he can find mine… and find me. He can find out what happened and help me. I hate to need it, but I can't seem to ward it off… Help, Brother…_

He began to lose track of his exact movements, but he knew he'd left the house by this time. Suddenly, his body stopped, and he was given back control. Unfortunately, in a desolate wasteland such as this, all the houses look the same, so it would have taken Edward forever and a day to find the home his brother was in. Besides, he'd probably have been dead before he found it. With all the tricks the ghosts would have waiting for him and his brother, he'd be lucky to escape the first house, let alone how many it would take to find him.

He turned on his heel, looking for some clue to find his younger brother. "AL! WHERE ARE YOU! ALPHO-?" His voice cut off before he could finish his plea. Edward stared blankly at the butterflies before him, emitting their strange, deep red color. The haze over his mind seemed to return, though it was not the evil he'd felt before. It was almost as if these specks called to him, though trying to help, not harm as the other had. Naturally, he complied to their beckoning, walking forward.

The butterflies crept forward, pulling Edward farther and farther into the village, leading him where he was needed. Visions began to flood his mind, flickering before his eyes, playing out before him.

* * *

Sae and her sister, Yae, played in a small yard, laughing happily in their youth. _Hey_, the blonde thought_. They're the girls from that first vision I had back in the house…_

The scene changed, a man standing before them with Alphonse's camera. He quickly snapped a shot, pulling the picture from its slot. Ed peered at it. The two sisters' were smiling happily, though Sae's face seemed distorted, twirling into itself within the confines of the square.

Once again, the surroundings formed differently. Now, it was a new version of the escape, as though the other had been how one had imagined it being.

Sae and Yae sat on a small pillow in the middle of a darkened room, men and women all around watching. Yae held her hands beneath Sae's chin, gripping her neck. "Are you ready now?" Yae whispered with a worried look in her eyes.

Sae quickly responded. "Yes."

Together, they stood, sprinting from the chamber as a small, blonde haired boy caused a distraction from the girls, knocking over candles and statues alike to let the two escape.

_I don't want… to leave. _The thought emitted from Sae. Ed looked on as the two fled, though Sae was slowing ever so much. _We must complete the ritual. It is our destiny. If we don't, we'll be gone forever. I_ must _stop her._ Sae caught her leg and cried out, flying down the mountain side. A deep gash appeared in her leg. "SAE! SISTER! PLEASE: HELP!" she called, though her plea fell upon deaf ears.'

Yae continued running as her sister was captured by the men below. They dragged her back to the village, hoping that one was enough to please the gods.

Yae sat outside the threshold to the village, bawling, staining her white kimono on the soil. "I'm… so sorry. I can't… come back…" she cried, screaming in anguish and guilt at the loss of her sister.

Edward sympathized, looking on and thinking of how it would be if this happened to him and Al. He wouldn't be able to bear it if he left Al in this place. He could also understand Sae, being the one who was left. He liked being the mediator in the situation, but he was being thrown headlong into the same predicament. He had to put a stop to it before it ended up like this.

* * *

His vision returned to him while crossing a bridge. Edward didn't know where he'd come from, but he knew where he was headed. There was a huge spread of land before him, a mansion inside. 

A voice echoed from around him, ringing in his ears long after they'd stopped, and chilling him to the bone.

It was Sae.

Calling to him.

_Yae…You said… that we'd always… be together. That we'd be one… but everyone… died…_

That's when Ed had a surprisingly connective thought to the situation. "Sae and Yae," he murmured to himself, not fully realizing he'd entered the mansion. "If they both didn't complete the ritual, then maybe… they expect us to… But if one's missing, we can't complete it. If Al and I are taking their place, who'd be who? Oh, no." Ed's eyes widened at the thought. Who would kill who? Would Al run off without him? Visa versa? He couldn't stand the thought of running away with his little brother, his only lifeline to the world. And if Al left him? Well, let's just say he'd get a better understanding of the homicidal side of Sae.

He entered a small room in the back corner of the home. A curtain hung off a rack in the back of the room. Behind it were the butterflies.

Ed limped forward, just now realizing he was limping. He looked down at his leg and saw a deep knife wound, most likely from that last fight.

He turned behind the curtain, and say Sae sitting. "She'll come back. She's got to. Yae, I love you. Please, save me. I don't want to die… alone." With that, the predicate spun around, lunging at the unsuspecting Edward, knife glistening in her hand.

He recoiled, but not quick enough. The knife embedded itself into his chest, then pulled itself out. A wound now bled freely. He knew it should have been a mortal wound, but there was no pain or weakness. In fact, he felt stronger than he had before. Sae looked at him happily.

She thinned out, turning herself into a small whip and burrowed herself into his heart as Edward cried out in agony. He stopped screaming suddenly, his head downward, bangs hiding his eyes from view. Then, slowly, he lifted his head, his eyes a dark brown… so dark, they nearly blended in with his pupils. Edward smirked contently, then whispered to himself:

"Yae, or should I say, Alphonse. I knew you'd come back for me. I knew you'd help me finish the ritual. Now, we can become… one…"

* * *

Edward was now in a dark expansion. "Wha-?" 

"Yae, or should I say, Alphonse. I knew you'd come back for me. I knew you'd help me finish the ritual. Now, we can become… one…"

Ed pounded his fists into the black ground. "Like Hell we'll be doing some outdated ritual for you, bitch!"

Using all his will power, he fought Sae out of his mind, if not only for a moment. His vision returned to him, along with the control over his body. A sharp pain attacked him in his chest, and he gripped it with a yelp of pain. When he pulled his hand away, to his surprise, there was no blood, nor traces that there ever was any. In fact, when he looked down, there wasn't even a wound, as if no knife had stabbed him at all.

The pain returned, and he fell to the ground, clutching his heart with new resolve. "You can't win." Sae whispered to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, sweat dripping from his brow. "You can't control me, so if that's winning, then yes… I… CAN!" He screamed as a wave of agony washed over him, tears springing into his eyes. But no matter how much she devastated his body, nor how much she tugged at his mind, nor how much she broke him down, his will kept her from penetrating again. "You're strong." She mumbled. "But not strong enough. I'll get you soon."

Sae disappeared, leaving Ed to himself. Fatigue and anguish overwhelmed him, beckoning him into the dark abyss of unconscious, but he wasn't ready for it just yet. He stood, pretending to still have enough strength to take Sae on once again over his body and mind. Edward peered around for any signs of the spirit, but the only thing he saw were the tables and books on the shelves, his only hearing consisted of his labored breathing, coming in short, panting breaths. Satisfied, but still worried she'd come for him, he sat behind the curtain, staying as alert as possible. _Maybe_, he thought. _If I wait long enough, Alphonse will find me. Sae wouldn't dare attack again with him around… _

He chuckled to himself. _Well, that's a first._ He'd never thought he'd need Alphonse as protection! He thought he'd just be a help in a tight situation, and, at first, a reminder of his burden and something else to protect. But now, he realized how much he needed him. As a brother and a guardian.

Then, for the first time in a long time, Edward laid his hands together and prayed. "Dear Lord, if you are there and if you can hear me, please let my brother be safe." Tears flowed down his already sweat drenched cheeks. "And please, let him come for me, and save me, so that we can be together again. Please, Lord, I need him now more than ever. And please, let us get out of this alive. Together. I can't do this alone…"

With those last few words spilling weakly from his lips, he succumbed to the darkness, plummeting to the ground behind the curtain.

* * *

Somewhere in the distance, a water soaked suit of armor catapulted from the river, landing back on the bridge. The armor did a little happy dance, then sprinted toward the mansion. God had granted his wish. The sinful children would be reunited soon enough.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Was it any good? THEN REVIEW AND TELL ME SO! Lol! I just really some feed back from this site! Seriously! Lol!**

**So, what will happen to the brothers? Find out soon!**

**---Hikari---**


	6. Inside The Mansion

**Double update for the long wait! Same as last chapter: REVIEW FOR MORE CHAPTERS! -- I'm totally serious.**

**Disclaimer: Same as last time. I won't be dominater any time soon...**

**I tried to make this a little more Al centric. I hope it worked! **

**WARNING: Some OOC for Edward at end, but it's a dynamic moment, I thought I'd add it... he can love his brother, right? **

**Chatper 6- Crimson Butterfly- Inside the Mansion**

* * *

Alphonse dashed forward, not worried about the noise he made. If something wanted quiet, then they'd come to the wrong zombie-infested village. Plus, he didn't want the bridge to give out again. And, he was kind of scared of whatever had thrown him from the water.

He made it across the bridge without further trouble. Soon, he was on his way again, following his elder's tracks.

Unfortunately, the time he had made up would soon be lost yet again, and added onto, when he reached another point when the steps stopped… well more so they met a gate. And it was locked. Al groaned to himself. Just my luck, isn't it? He thought, pulling his body back away from the door and preparing to smash it down.

"Don't! Someone will hear you!" A voice called from behind Alphonse, causing the armor to jump. Al turned quickly, and then saw a small platinum blonde haired boy behind bars in a small hut. He tensely worked his way toward the boy. "Yae! What are you still doing here?" he cried out, his eyes in shock.

Al recoiled, wondering why he thought his name was Yae. "Yae? I'm not-!" "You need to leave before the ritual starts! If they find you, they'll kill you!" the male interrupted, worry in his eyes.

"Ritual?" the suit mumbled. "Uh, did you get knocked over the head! The Crimson Sacrifice Ritual! The one that sacrifices you and your sister to the gods? You've got a death aura around you and everyone can tell! I'd get out as fast as possible if you want to live!"

Al gasped. _Sacrifice? I wasn't told about a sacrifice by Brother…_ he thought, looking at the gates that guarded his brother. "Oh, no." he whispered, knowing that something was going to happen to his brother if he didn't do anything soon.

"Hey, how do I get into the gates? My broth- I mean, my sister's trapped inside!" _Best go along with the crazy guy then say "Hey, I'm not Yae and I'm not going to die here. I'm just here to save my brother!" Who knows? He could be the sacrificer…_ he said mentally.

"What? How could you get so careless! The keys are scattered by the Twin Maidens around the village. There are only two keys and two maidens, so it shouldn't be too difficult. One's up by the graveyard and the other is just around this corner. Hurry before they begin!" the blonde urged Al away, waving his arms in protest.

"Wait," he said. "First, can you refresh me about what they do in this ritual?"

The boy groaned. "Alright…

"Two twins are taken, females preferably. They bring the two into a small room below the ground past those gates. After that, the children kneel on a small futon. In the ritual, one child kills the other to appease the gods. When the one is killed, she is tossed into the abyss below, sending her to the gods of the underworld. The other is killed and hung above the ground, to please the gods of the earth. This happens every year or so, and you're next! So like I've said, you'd best get out while you still can! Run and keep running! Once you've left, you can't come back because of the spell protecting the village, but they can't chase you down! You'll be safe! So collect Sae, Yae, and get outta here!"

Alphonse stood, shock in him. Someone would have to kill their sister, or in his case, brother? There was no way he'd go through with that.

The suit of armor turned and sprinted away, turning the corner the young man had pointed out and looking for the stone of the Twin Maidens.

It was so small that he almost missed it. In fact, he did the first time, but upon closer inspection, he noted the small twins etched into the plant infested rock. His hand searched the rock and its surroundings until he found a small wooden piece of wood with a scratched into it. "Huh, this must be it." He murmured, turning tail to leave.

* * *

"AH!" he yelled, as he ran from the ghosts that had popped up behind him. He then stopped, slapping his helmet. "What am I doing?" he asked the air, turning around once again, pulling out his camera, and firing a few shots. The monsters screamed in agony then melted away into the ground.

A scream erupted from the mansion, filled with the pain of a knife stabbed though Al's heart. "Brother…" he whispered, recognizing the voice.

Alphonse dashed ahead, this time headed for the gate once more. He prepared to launch himself at the doors in his way. "Didn't I just tell you not to do that or is this some game of yours?" the boy shouted from his cell, pulling on the bars in frustration.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you." Alphonse said offhandedly, still not caring about the noise. "My brother's in danger and I have to help him!" Al pounded into the door, bursting its metal barriers. Al clapped his hands in delight and zoomed away, leaving the boy to gape lamely at the fact that 1: Yae had just called Sae her brother and him and 2: that a little girl like her could smack down a wall that easily.

Alphonse flew down the pathway, entering the large house in the middle of the lot. "Brother!" he called out. "Can you hear me? Edward?" He continued to run madly around the building. Finally, he came to an opening. Blood drops lead the way down the wood flooring, showing signs that life had been here. "Well, if that's Brother's blood that would explain the limp, somewhat…"

Al tore down the path, taking all its twists and turns in search of his brother. The blood was nigh invisible in the moonlight, but to Al's expert eye, it might as well have had a neon sign that said, "I'm right here! See?"

The suit of armor barreled down the hallway. He turned the last apparent corner, and continued his mad charge…. And nearly running over a small girl in white. He skidded to a halt about ten or so feet in front of her. Her head remained bowed as she crept slowly toward Alphonse, shoes making eerie tapping noises on the wooden flooring. Soon, she began to speed up.

Al pulled Camera Obscura in front of him, ready to make a fatal shot and be rid of this new ghost. Now she was in a quick jog, right upon him. The younger Elric pulled up the camera, focused it, and made the shot, throwing the predicate for a loop. The young girl recoiled, putting her hands protectively in front of her eyes, but not disappearing like the ones before. She merely shook off the attack and began for a new one.

The suit of armor stood at ready, prepared to run past her if need be. _But_, he thought. _The more I get rid of, the less to deal with in our escape. _He snapped it again, tossing the female in the white kimono back a few more feet. This time, it was Al's turned to approach. He continued firing shots at her until she sat upon the ground, tears springing to life in her eyes.

Al looked at her while she bawled, and he lowered his camera, wondering if she actually was human. "Yae," she whimpered, looking into Alphonse's eyes. "Why? Why did you leave me? No matter, I'm glad you've returned. Now, we can finish that ritual…" She stood up again, any traces of remorse from before lost on the girl, whom Al now assumed was that Sae the male had talked about.

Sae held out her hands, walking toward him with new resolve. Her hands cupped around Al's neck, and, even though he was made from metal, he could almost feel her warm hands ready for the kill.

Now was his chance. He pulled the camera up from where it had been resting and put it into the spirit's face before snapping off a shot, throwing the girl back almost a three yards from where he was now. She stood and wiped herself off. "The ritual must be done. It is our fate. You can't deny fate."

With that, she disappeared, leaving Alphonse to himself. He opened the door at the right of him and strolled in, the search for his brother still playing out. It wasn't long until he saw a small light shine from his hip, where he'd now hung Edward's pendent. "Huh?" Al pulled it up to his face, looking closely at it.

He quickly decided to investigate, pushing the pendent into the radio when he placed it on the floor next to him. Ed's voice rang out yet again, though weaker and with something new to say.

_Al… where are you? It's Sae… She wants me…I can hear her call…_

_The ritual is going to start soon… we need to get out… now._

_If they get you…_

_I wouldn't be able to help…_

_Nothing I do will change it…I've got to warn Alphonse… before Sae gets to me…_

_She'll hurt you, Al… she wants the ritual completed… and there's nothing we can do…_

_Not yet…_

_We would be… given to their gods… _

_That pit… we'd end up like… the others… like that man…_

_DAMN YOU ROY! If we get out… I'll kill him first thing… for all he's put us through…_

_(A voice now intrudes, lapping over Edward's own, layering it with a malicious sound of enjoyment, regret, sorrow, and anger.)_

_One of us will have to… kill the other… to save ourselves… _

_Maybe…_

_It's for the best._

Alphonse stared dumbfounded as the connection faded, leaving the silence as too much to bear. "That girl…" he whispered. "What does she want with my brother?"

Mist now clouded the floor, though its origin had been unknown before now. Al stood, putting the radio back within his armor.

Heavy breathing began behind him, followed by a shriek of annoyance. Al spun on his heel, gasping as he saw what the cause of it was.

A demon now floated- yes, floated- before him, spirits of the village surrounding him en masse. His face seemed as though it were melting from his skull from burns, his body a silver misty color.

It reached its bony hand for Alphonse, who stood in awe of the beast before him. "The Kusabi…" he breathed, taking a step back. The Kusabi was a mythical creature he'd read about in the military library: it rises from Hell when it's been defiled, spreading darkness across the land that insulted it, killing those around. This process was called the Repentance, and it sent a town into turmoil, making the location relive the day it dared cross paths with the Kusabi. Anyone who actually lived through it was called the Remaining. But they were soon killed by the Kusabi and his loyal partner.

Alphonse assumed that this partner was Sae. They both wanted to finish the ritual … and they both wanted him and his brother dead.

Al turned and ran, knowing of the monstrosity's immortality. There was only one thing that could kill it, and Alphonse hadn't found it yet. But when he did, he'd do his best.

He tore open the door and jetted down a new path, still sprinting up the many flights of stairs when he realized that the Kusabi had stopped following him. He slowed down, trying to calm his nerves. _Hopefully he hasn't gotten to Brother…_ he thought, forlorn.

Alphonse opened a new door to his right, seeing a set of dolls sitting on shelves. "Well, someone had quite a collection…" he said, admiration in his voice as he inspected the small Dresden dolls and momentarily losing his train of thought. He snapped back to his senses. "Brother." He reminded himself. "I've got to find Ed."

The suit of armor willed himself to go on, looking for his blonde elder. He scoured the home, finally coming to a small room with a curtain hanging off a rack in the back of the room. Books sat gathering dust on their shelves. Tables stood sound, though a few were flipped in a panicked frenzy.

A shadow was cast on the curtain. A young girl sat behind it, it seemed from the shadow, holding… something. Al shivered as he thought of how much it reminded him of a head.

_"Yae…You said… that we'd always… be together. That we'd be one… but everyone… died…_"the girl whispered to the item, a hint of depression buried in her voice.

Al quickly treaded over to the curtain, peering carefully behind it. He pulled out the camera, holding it at ready, in case it was Sae yet again trying to eliminate him.

He wasn't exactly prepared for what he found, though.

"Brother!" he cried, stooping low to pick over his sibling's weakened and limp form. His face was pale and his breathing labored. "Oh, Brother… what happened to you?" Alphonse whispered, pushing Edward's bangs out of his face.

Ed's eyes opened slowly, though only to half mast. "Alphonse?" he whispered.

Al sighed with relief. "Oh, thank goodness you're alright. Yes, it's me." He smiled inside.

Edward sat up the best he could. Then, he wrapped his arms around the suit of armor, which sat in surprise. He could have sworn Ed wouldn't hug him… at least, not at a moment like this.

"Al," he mumbled, his voice holding the same hint of sadness the girl's had. "Yes, Brother?" he replied, holding his brother's shaking body against him for comfort.

"Please, don't leave me again. I don't want to lose you."

With that, the two boys sat together, holding onto their one moment of comfort and happiness in the night, for they would probably not get the chance to have one again.

* * *

**Oooh! I told you! Lol! I'm still workig on that... I'm not good at this, am I? 00 Lol! **

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**Please Review!**

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**---Hikari---**


	7. A Picture Worth 1,000 Words

**Alright, I'm updating! WOOHOO! Now that it will work...**

**Anyways, I'm just hoping you guys will like this new chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it! Plus, more is on the way so hold onto your seats- you're in for a bumpy ride now that I have a new, faster computer! WOOHOO!**

**Chapter 7- A Picture Worth A 1,000 Words- Crimson Butterfly**

* * *

Edward finally collected himself; he began to answer Alphonse's questions of what happened. He told the whole story of Sae and his visions-everything.

A chill fell down Al's imaginary spine.

He and Alphonse soon began to search the room for any clues to Sae's past and/or whereabouts. Finally, deciding that there was nothing in the room, they exited to the next.

Dolls lined the wall, two with missing heads and orange kimonos. Those stood out the most against the dark, velvet colors to Edward. An aura encircled

them, glowing with an enchanting blue mist. They sat Indian-style. One was placed at the very top of the shelves, the other opposite on the bottom.

Ed reached out, preparing to take the doll nearest, but decided better of it and reeled back. "Hey, Al," he mumbled, never taking his eyes off the shelves.

"Take a picture of these dolls."

The suit peered back at his brother from the recesses of the armor. "Brother, wouldn't that just be a waste of film? I mean, shouldn't we save it for

better things? Like-?"

"I know what it _should _be used for, but… but I'm getting a weird feeling…" Ed's eyes looked glazed, as if he were staring into the far distance to

what was beyond.

Alphonse sighed. _He _says _that he's got a knack for this… that he's been getting these 'vibes' all night… so… maybe he's right? Why not try _

_it… it couldn't hurt anything…_

The suit lifted Camera Obscura up to where his eyes should have been, focused, and then clicked the camera.

Unlike normal photos, this one printed immediately, shooting into Ed's waiting hands. He inspected it.

"Just like I thought," he announced. "Take a look at this."

The younger brother grabbed the picture, looking closely. The dolls had rearranged themselves, placing the orange dolls both on the top, side by side, their

heads now in place. A small frame had opened beside them…

Suddenly, another photograph popped out of the camera, shocking the two boys.

Ed stooped over to pick it up.

"Maybe it's, uh… a misprint?"

The picture was portraying a corner in a long, musty hallway. The door on the left was propped open slightly, a small, feminine hand clinging desperately to

the frame. Bloody handprints and streaks decorated the wall, illuminated menacingly by candlelight. Claw marks were etched deeply into the wood- the signs of a struggle that got out of hand.

"What is it?" questioned Al. He glimpsed over the blonde's shoulder, taking in the image.

"I've been there…" Ed mumbled. Al tilted his head to the side.

"What? No we haven't! Well, you might have, but you never said-"

"That's not what I meant!" the golden-eyed boy snapped. "I mean, I know where it is… I can lead us there.."

The suit of armor, naturally, was skeptical of his brother. _Brother's been acting weird ever since we got into that field… _he thought mildly. _He's tense._

_Well, so far he's known what he was doing, but this… this is a little far-fetched… sigh… I guess I'll just have to trust him. Besides, what harm can it do? Hm… I've been thinking that a lot lately…_

"Alright! Lead the way, Brother!" Al exclaimed, gesturing wildly toward the door.

Edward grinned slightly, then waltzed masterfully out of the room, continuing down the hallway. He took a left, another, a right…

Finally, candles began popping up on the walls, and soon the door, painted in blood, appeared before them. Just as the picture had shown, claw marks and

Handprints were strewn all over the walls and door, not to mention the floor.

"Well," Ed claimed, smiling at his brother. "Let's go!"

The brothers strode through the doorframe (Though it was a little resistant. It felt almost as through something, or some_one _were holding it closed).

Like most other rooms, boxes were the décor, along with some portraits lining the walls. Tables were overturned, burns etched deeply into the woodwork.

Wax rushed down the tabletops and splattered on the paper walls, which were now scorched. They had a nice little draft in the room.

Al began to explore recklessly, looking for what he expected to be in the room: the doll heads.

Ed, on the other hand, was a little more cautious. He looked carefully in drawers, behind tables, into the closet…

"AL!" Edward cried, sprinting away from the threshold to seek refuge behind his brother.

"What? What is it?" asked the suit of armor, fishing the camera haphazardly out of his chest from within the mass of papers.

Just as the lens was visible, a body toppled carelessly from the darkness. It was a woman.

She was covered from head to toe in cuts, bruises, scorch marks- anything you could think of. Her skin took on a purplish tint, probably from a mix of

oxygen depravation, blood, and bruises. Her eyes were but empty, lifeless sockets, staring into the endless night. Hair of red- though Ed and Al both assumed it had once been blonde- was now matted to her head in a pompous lump.

The woman began crawling to her knees, then to her feet. She limped sloppily toward the brothers.

Al pulled the camera to his eye and snapped a photo quickly.

She reeled back, holding her sockets as though she had actually seen the flash. The redhead ducked to the left. The lens followed.

Unfortunately for Alphonse, he wasn't the fastest moving piece of metal. Also, he was out of film.

She dove through Al- yes, THROUGH him- and attacked the one of flesh as Al dug through his chest to get a new roll of film

Ed yelped and danced away, distracting her long enough for Alphonse to reload and let him get a decent shot.

The woman screeched in agony, clawing helplessly at her eyes. She hurtled forward in frenzy, latching onto Edward's arm as best as she could and tearing at him eyes and skin.

He cried out as cuts and gashed appeared on his body; Alphonse spun around and snapped the picture.

Once more, the lady screamed as she flickered once-twice- three times, then disappeared, her screeches still echoing in the children's ears. In her place were two small, oriental doll heads- beautifully painted, smiling with whimsical black hair falling from their crown.

The suit of armor stooped over to pick up the heads, then turned to tend to his brother.

"Brother, are you okay?" he asked.

Edward nodded, smiling. He whipped a small sum of blood from under his eye. "I'm fine," he responded. "Did we get what we came for?"

Al showed the heads to Edward. The blonde grinned. "Good." he cooed. "Now, back to that room."

---

The two walked back in silence with long, determined strides.

"Al, the doll heads for the nice ladies," Ed chuckled giddily as they stood in front of the shelves once more. Al handed the items to his brother.

Carefully, the golden-eyed boy set the craniums upon their bosoms; he stepped back quickly, expecting something big.

Nothing happened.

Al knocked on his armored head. "I don't understand," He pulled the picture back out, Ed gazing at it intensely beside him.

Ed snapped. "Of course!" he announced, stepping back up to the dolls with new resolve. "The orange ones need to be at the top of the temple!"

He began rearranging the dolls around the orange-kimono doll on the bottom row.

Left-up-right- right-up-left-back right twice- up and once more- up.

There was a small distinct _click_ then a small slot appeared to the right of the figurines.

Gold orbs followed his pale hands as he reached into the opened. He pulled the key out. Light glistened delicately off it.

"Well," Ed mumbled. "Where does this little one lead?"

The two at in silence pondering.

Edward ruffled his hair in frustration.

"I don't get it! What are we supposed to do- run around trying each door?!"

He sighed and handed the key to Al. "Hold onto that. It may come in handy later."

Alphonse nodded, tying it loosely to his cloth belt.

The two continued to ponder over what to do next.

Interrupting their thinking, the floor began to quake violently. A shimmer behind Ed burst to life, throwing the boys for a loop.

They flew headlong across the room, Black light cut even deeper into the night. Then, poof! A large, burly figure with long white hair and ash colored skin hovered over them. Spirits danced forlorn around him.

Ed rubbed his head. "Nice entrance… slightly flashy… Good for parties, I'm sure…"

Al yelped as he once again recognized the figure. He grabbed hold of Ed's hand and heaved him to his feet. "Run!" he cried.

Ed attempted to catch his footing to keep stride with Al, but failed. He sprawled out on the floor. The Kusabi was not tight on their heels.

The suit of armor hunched over, grabbed Ed once again, pulled him up- this time, he impatiently waited for his brother to gain his balance- and sprinted as fast as his armored legs would carry him. Edward did the same.

"Stop," a feminine voice ordered.

The Kusabi stopped the chase and stood stock-still. Ed did the same- only, he stopped out of curiosity-, and Al followed his lead.

"Brother…?"

"SH!" he commanded. "Who's there?" he called, though he was pretty confident he knew the answer.

"Come now, Edward, how do you sleep at night? Forgot my name, already? Tisk, tisk…"

Sae wrapped her arms around Edward from behind, nuzzling her chin into the nape of his neck.

Ed cried out and tried desperately to pull away, but Sae pulled him back against her. "No, no, no, no, no… We can't have you get away _again_, now can we?" Sae teased. The raven-haired girl snapped, and the Kusabi appeared behind Alphonse, who had become strangely silent, standing still; he seemed totally unfazed by the Kusabi's appearance.

"Alright, I'll strike a deal with you," she whispered. Ed waited for more. "You come with me quietly… and no harm will befall your dear brother."

Edward chuckled. _They really think they can hurt Al? He's a hollow suit of armor! What could Sae and freak-show here possibly do to hurt armor? No way. We gotta break for it. This is our chance to run. If they're distracted by the camera, then we can get out! At least we'll have a good twenty-foot lead on them before they realize where we've gone to…_

"Go ahead and try to hurt my brother, he's strong as steel!" he said. The blonde elbowed Sae in the chest, then dove away. "Al! Come on! Snap a picture and let's go!" The camera fell out of Al's grasp as Ed turned to leave. "Al! Come on!'

Time stood still.

A hand jutted out of the armor's chest now, a small, grayish ball in its grasp. It much resembled the souls spiraling around his head.

Al fell to the ground. His red eyes had turned a suspicious black color…

Ed's eyes widened in horror. "Alphonse…?" he whispered, his voice cracking.

No response.

"Al!" Edward rushed to his fallen brother, shaking him violently, "Al! Al, get up! Come on, Al! Al! ALPHONSE!" Tears streamed down his cheeks by now.

"No, Al!" he sobbed, burying his head in the armor's shoulder.

Sae smirked with satisfaction. "Did you really think I hadn't investigated your brother before this? I knew he was hollow… and how do you get rid of a soul tied to an item? Disembody the soul. Now he's dead, and it's your fault. You must have thought so much of your abilities. Even in that shell of his, he wasn't invincible. Too late now. Come on."

_Al's not getting up…_ he thought, sorrowfully. _He's dead… for real this time… **It's all my fault… **_A numb feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.

_My fault…_ he thought. _My fault, my fault, my fault…_

Charcoal eyes burned into Ed as she hauled him to his feet. "Now, come." she cooed. "We have a ritual to finish."

Ed put up no fight. He followed in silence, repeating those two words to himself the whole way. Then, another thought entered his head. _I've got to finish the ritual… _he thought. _For her… for… **my sister…**_ The voice was not his own.

Sae smiled. _The preparations are complete._ she thought wickedly. _Now that Ed thinks he has nothing to live for, he'll do my bidding. And now, my sister, I can see you again. We'll become one, at long last…_

---

Ed cried out and tried desperately to pull away, but Sae pulled him back against her. "No, no, no, no, no… We can't have you get away _again_, now can we?" Sae teased. The raven-haired girl snapped, and the Kusabi appeared behind Alphonse.

Al jumped in fright and tried to get away, but his feet seemed as though they were glued to the floor.

"Brother!" he called, lifting his head to see Ed.

Ed was not himself. His eyes were glazed, staring unseeingly to the ground as Sae whispered intently in his ear. He mumbled back a few times, but mostly just let her talk. It was almost trancelike…

"Brother! Brother, don't listen to her! It's not true! I'm here! It's a-"

"Stop." Sae commanded, eyes glistening angrily. "Love, stop him."

Al felt a presence as it penetrated his armor. He looked down. The Kusabi was holding a spirit in his hand, but, contrary to what Edward believed it wasn't Alphonse's.

The Kusabi dropped the soul to the ground, where it crystallized.

White light- the same light as when he first met Sae- cut into his vision, and Al fell over, unable to control his functions.

Then, the room disappeared all together, leaving the armor alone in the blackness. But, before he passed out, he heard his brother's tortured voice, called longingly out to him.

---

When Alphonse awoke, he felt just as alone. The only other thing in the room was the crystal the Kusabi left.

The idol glowed ominously, holding a deep, crimson color.

Al picked up the gem, inspecting it closely. _Maybe this will fit into the Spirit Reader!_ he thought.

The suit's chest plate opened wide; random papers spilled out of it.

The radio and camera sat on the hardwood floor. Al placed the jewel into the slot and listened.

A small light appeared and shown behind him, but the young boy leaned in closer to the woofer, waiting for a voice.

"Ahem," The voice cleared its throat.

Al heard the tap of nails on metal. "Behind you."

Alphonse jumped and spun around.

A young boy with soft, gray hair stood in the place where the Kusabi had stood a little while before. His violet eyes were soft, as was his voice. His skin was a pale white. He towered above the kneeling metal, though we all know he wasn't that tall- only about 5'3" Al guessed.

"My name is Hiro Shakyou. Thank you so much for freeing me." Hiro bowed deeply, leaving Al only to wonder where he'd come from… and what he wanted now that he was here.

* * *

**So what do you think? Good, bad, ugly? Please review!!!**

**Oh! And a little bit in my personal life: I've gotten a lead role in a play! WOOHOO! So, in the months to come, I'll have a lot to do, so I'll update as much as I can! **

**Love!**

**---Talim---**


	8. Body Swap

**Two updates in one day- I'm on a roll! Hope you guys like!**

**Chapter 8- Body Swap- Crimson Butterfly**

* * *

"My name is Hiro Shakyou. Thank you so much for freeing me." Hiro bowed deeply, and Alphonse returned the gesture.

"You're welcome, but- never mind. How did you get here? Where are you from?"

Hiro took a seat on the ground and replied, "I was born here. My twin brother, Tohru, and I were raised here."

Al nodded. "So… do you know Sae then?" he asked.

Hiro's head bobbed up and down in response.

"What can you tell me about her?"

"I'm only assuming you've met Sae, then?"

Al nodded his head ferverently.

Hiro snickered. "I expected so. Her sister, Yae, and her used to be my brother and my best friends. We would do everything together- play, talk, laugh, anything. Even share our deepest secrets!

"That is, until Sae and Yae turned 14. The 'Golden Age' for twins around here. That is the age that twins are at their prime to be sacrificed for the ritual… You know about that, too, I'm guessing?"

Al said, "Yes, for the most part."

"Thought as much…

"My brother and I were only 13, so we'd have been next…

"When Yae discovered it was time, she panicked. She and Sae devised a plan for them to escape, and Tohru and I planned to help.

"When the ritual started, we caused a large diversion, giving the girls enough time to race out of the chamber. Brother was killed by the angered crowd for allowing the twins to escape, and I was taken to be executed properly for my deeds.

"I don't know exactly what happened after that… All I know is that Sae didn't think the same as Yae ever did…"

Al gave Hiro his undivided attention. "What do you mean?"

Hiro continued.

"Well, Yae wanted to _live_- wanted to avoid her fate…

"While Sae welcomed it with open arms. She felt it was her _duty_, her _destiny_, to be sacrificed for the gods. It would save the village, her family, everyone, right? She felt honored and humbled to be of such importance. Believing she'd have betrayed the town if she left, the story goes that when Sae and Yae were running up the mountain side, Sae 'tripped'-" Hiro made little quotations with his hands and winked while he said this. "-and fell down the mountain side, all the while calling for Yae to help. Truthfully, she was trying to get them both captured. Justification for causing her sister's death? None. She just wanted to save her friends and family in the village.

"Only problem? Yae didn't come back. She kept running."

Al's mind flashed to a woman, crying outside the gate to the village. "I'm… sorry…" she sobbed. "I… can't go back…"

"I think," Hiro pondered. "she was so focused on what was ahead of her, she didn't hear the pleas and didn't realize she's left her sister until she was already outside the village- by that time, one can only guess that the townspeople had already angered the gods, and sealed the gateway back to our village…

"Amazingly enough, Sae still got her wish. That's how they angered the gods in the first place. The idiots sacrificed her alone, hoping that would be enough to appease the gods! Ha! That's when the whole Repentance or whatever began.

"Anyone and everyone was caught by it. Even myself. It was caused by the Kusabi and Sae. Since the gods were angry, the two Hell-bounds to wreak havoc on the survivors of the darkness. Yes, that's right; the Gods brought back Sae to punish the people she'd sacrificed herself to save because she just wasn't enough. Kind of harsh, right? But she enjoyed every minute of it…"

"The… survivors of the darkness? Wait, so the ones that did die died because…?"

Hiro's expression was grim as he spoke, "Sigh… How do you describe Hell? It was as if every whip of the wind held knifes, every breath stuck in your throat and burned with the intensity of a thousand fires. If you were of enough bad fortune to fall into the water, you'd freeze. The only upside is that drowning was better than dieing above ground. Fire seemed to lick against your very skin…"

"And that's how you died?" Alphonse asked numbly.

"Actually, no." the violet eyed boy responded. "I was 'lucky' enough to survive. Few did, though. As bad as this whole epidemic sounds, it only lasted about two to three minutes.

"Those of us who lived were later found by the Kusabi. That death was less painful."

Al was somewhat surprised. Less painful? The messenger of Hell? Wow.

"You know the spirits around him? Those are all the survivors' souls. We were used for his bidding; in this case, I'm guessing they were making your brother think you were dead."

Al reeled back. "What?!"

"Well, if you're dead, why wouldn't that boy-"

"Edward."

"Right, whatever. –Edward do what they wanted? You were all he had, and if you're gone, what's left for him?"

The suit jumped to his feet.

"I've got to go! Brother's in danger! I've got to save him! Sorry I'm-"

"Not doing a damned thing in _that_ body." Hiro stated calmly.

Al stopped in mid-run. "And why wouldn't I?" he questioned dubiously.

The silver haired boy sighed. "Think. Sure, as long as you have that body, you 're protected from the Kusabi, but you also have to worry about getting knocked out again. Pardon me, you'd be disembodied. All the creature has to do is poke that cute little blood seal of yours, throw you momentarily from your body, and you're out like a light! What _you_ need is a human body to combat the Hellish Couple."

Al placed a hand on his hip. "And where am I going to get one of those? Do you want me to go back through the Gate and hope to get a reversal effect? Or can I buy one down the road?"

Hiro shook his head, smiling at the boy's sarcasm. "No. Just look right here." The violet-eyed boy gestured to himself. "I can lead you back to the ritual chamber. They're bound to be there. But you can put this body to better use than I ever could. You're the only one who can save your brother. I can't do anything for it. So, I'll give it to you. Besides, I still owe you for getting me away from the Kusabi."

"Bu-!" Al protested.

"No buts! I know the spell and everything. Here goes!"

With that, Hiro placed his palms on Alphonse's chest plate. After mumbling a few words, a deep blue light illuminated the room. Then, all was black.

---------

Al's eyes fluttered open. "Ow… my head…" he mumbled, rubbing his head. He felt his soft hair ruffle under his hands.

_Wait!_ he thought. _Hair! _

Al dashed over to a mirror hanging on the wall to inspect himself.

Hair of gold sat on top of his head. His eyes were silver as the armor he used to be confined to. His skin was pale, just as it used to be, and soft, unweathered.

Al smiled. _This is…_he thought.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Hiro's voice sprang from behind him.

Alphonse spun, eyes widening.

A suit of armor towered over him, eyes shining the same deep blue as before. _Wow_, he thought_. I wonder if this is how Brother felt when I stood next to him…_

"Transferring souls is pretty easy. At least, between a bodiless boy and a once been spirit, it is." He chuckled slightly.

The newly embodied boy nodded carelessly.

Realization came back through the excitement of the new body. "Brother!" he exclaimed, slapping his forehead at his forgetfulness. "Alright, where to?" Al stuck Ed's gold pendent in his pocket, just in case it could help.

Hiro left the room, Al hot on his heels.

"The ritual takes place below the ground. Three of four flights of stairs, mind you.

"The chamber itself is huge. Tons of spectators join the ritual. The townsfolk gather round to see. One twin must kill the other. Then, the twin that wasn't killed is hung above the pit to appease the gods above, while the dead is thrown into the pit for the gods below. Sae herself was alone when she was tossed in.

"Speaking of that damned pit, I have a warning for you…"

They were going slowly across an intersection in the road, fire illuminated the streets, flickering off of select houses.

"Don't look into the pit, no matter what."

Al raised an eyebrow in question. "Why? What's in it?"

"Hell if I know! I'm not dumb enough to look! Yeesh… All I know is that it's said to be the picture of Hell itself. Tohru told me some crazy story that the spirits of the dead in the pit will steal your soul and one of them will take your place on the earth. Ha! Could you imagine?"

A worried look laced Al's newly acquired features, his eyes troubled. "We'd better hurry." he mumbled. "I'd rather be early to the ritual than late."

Hiro nodded. "Good plan."

The pace picked up to a quick run, though Al was still getting used the human things again. (Example: Breathing and fatigue? Those two could take him a while…)

Soon, the two reached a large gate, decorated with symbols and colors, but the most dominant trait were the red butterflies littering the door.

"Um…" Hiro stated. "Not to put you out, but I think your pocket is… glowing?"

_Huh?_ Al wondered. He looked down. _Oh! Ed's crystal!_

The blonde pulled out the gem. "Um… radio, radio, where's that radio?" he mumbled, looking around as though it followed him.

Hiro pulled open the chest plate of his armor and put the Spirit Reader into Al's hands, which gave way slightly under its weight. "This is where you left it." Hiro announced.

Al placed it on the ground and dropped the golden jewel into the opening.

For a few minutes, all they heard was static, but soon, Ed's voice came through.

----

_Al… I'm so sorry… I didn't…._

_I'm sorry… Please… forgive me… even though- even though you have no reason to…_

_I don't want to be… alone… Life without you- I- _(Ed's breath caught in his breath, his voice giving hints of crying.) _I'm not strong enough. But I don't need to worry, really… Not for too long…_

_The butterflies are back… They… want to help…They can show us the way home… I just hope I'll see you where you go…even though I know people who kill don't go to Heaven…I don't deserve to go there… Not like you do… Causing your brother's death doesn't get you good marks, huh?_

_Sae… I'll do it… not for you… not for you're village… to repent for my sins…maybe… we can both give back what we've taken…_

_Al… I'm so… so sorry…_

_Al…_

_I'm coming…_

_----_

Al and Hiro sat in dumbfounded silence. Tears sprang to silver eyes.

"He can't…" he whispered. The boy bounced to his feet, bounding to the gate with new determination.

"Well?" Alphonse looked at the suit of armor expectantly, holding a lock in his small hand. "What do we do with this?"

Hiro shook his head sadly. "I don't know. The key is hidden. Only the Guardians of the Crimson Ritual know where it is… I'd hoped we could climb…"

Al's temper flared uncharacteristically.

"Then why the Hell did you lead me all the way out here? What do I do now, wait for Brother to die?!"

Light reflected idly from Hiro's belt, the illuminations flapping delicately in the wind. _Wait! The key Brother and I found earlier!_

Al sprinted over to Hiro, pulled the key from its place, ran back to the gate, and thrust it into the lock.

Perfect fit.

_Click._

The gate swung forth.

The boy turned to Hiro. "Come on! Lead the way!" He smiled brilliantly.

Nodding, the suit of armor jogged, though this time, it was he who was trying to keep stride with Alphonse.

The area was like a maze, turns left and right on every corridor. Alphonse was worried about Hiro losing his way. Hiro, though, seemed unfazed by the endlessness of it all.

"Left," he said calmly.

That was it, aside from unladed silence. No small talk, no planning. Just directions to the chamber.

Soon, wooden walls appeared, stairs too. Voices bounced off the walls, echoing in Al's ears.

_Sister… let's do it. It's out job… our destiny… we must… complete the ritual…_ Sae announced quietly, her voice almost taunting Alphonse.

"Come on." Hiro mumbled. "We don't have much time. She's probably close to finishing this off…"

Al's breath hitched in his throat. No… The silver-eyed boy took off running. "H-hey! Hey wait!" Hiro called, taking off after him. "You don't even know where you're going!!!"

Hiro and Al rushed down stairs, turning and turning down the many halls.

_Sister…_ Sae began again. _You said… that we'd always be… _together_… that we'd be…_ one… _but everyone…_ **_died…_**

Finally, a stone bridge expanded before them, leading to a huge underground building. "Well," Hiro said quietly. "This is it." Alphonse nodded and began walking forward.

The threshold was gigantic with the same inscriptions as were on the gate before it.

Well… Alphonse thought. Here goes nothing!

Al shoved the door open wide and waltzed in, preparing for the worst.

"Wow…" Al whispered. The room was awe-inspiring. Intricate carvings decorated the walls; tapestries of inscriptions spread out on the roof and floor.


	9. Too Late

**Alright! Here's chapter 9 of Crimson Butterfly! I'm so happy at the success this story's been having! I've worked really hard on it, so I'm glad it's appreciated! Please, enjoy this next chapter, for it's dedicated to you all!**

**Chapter 9- Crimson Butterfly- Too Late...**

"Wow…" Al whispered. The room was awe-inspiring. Intricate carvings decorated the walls; tapestries of inscriptions spread out on the roof and floor. The room itself was solid gray. A large opening was sliced into the wall, blackness pouring from it like a liquid.

A tiny oval-shaped pillow covered in a quilt of black and red sat in the center of the room. All around the futon were candles of striking gold and silver.

The suit of armor and the blonde waltzed forward. Alphonse, upon approaching the small pillow, noticed a shimmer of turquoise, almost like heat was wafting from the futon… but it was so cold, there was no way. It had to be…

He silently lifted the Camera Obscura and _click! _In the silent room, the noise might as well have been a gunshot.

Once again, the picture instantly shot from the open slot and zoomed to the floor. Hiro turned his head, startled. "What the…?" he began.

"A feeling… that's all." He mumbled, bending over to grab the photo.

The image was disturbing, to say the least. Two identical girls sat on their shins on the futon. The one on the left sat patiently, her hands crossed in her lap. He piercing green eyes, though, were wide and full of fear, pain, and tears. He muscles were rigid and tensed. He lips were pulled into a tight, frightened line. Hair of inky black hung over her pale face. The other girl had her hands cupping the child's chin, fingers resting gently on the girl's throat and pressure points. Alphonse couldn't see her face. She was looking downward, her curly black hair hanging in the way of her face; her shoulders were hitched in sobs.

They wore simple white kimonos, the arms hanging low off of their slim appendages. A red rope that seemed to glow maliciously was knotted carefully around their waists, connecting them.

Hiro whistled. "It took Sae and Yae quite a while to untie that… then they had to make it look like it was still attached. Ha! That was a riot in itself."

"I'll bet… they tied that so no one could escape, right? Like Sae and Yae did?"

Hiro nodded. "Now, come on. The actual chamber is in the next room." The suit of armor clambered forward, Alphonse following closely.

Suddenly, a feeling of dread hollowed in the pit of his stomach. It washed over him. _What if…_ he wondered. _What if they've already done that part of the ritual? With the futon? What if… they've already killed Brother? How would we know? _

Lightheaded and scared, Al fell to his knees, moaning. The camera plopped down next to him. Al heard a quiet _tick_. He looked down, noting a small, clear wire, broken in half. "Wha…?" he mumbled. _A trip wire…?_

"You oka-" he stared, but was cut off by a strong, and equally loud, gust of wind.

Alphonse's head shot up, and he put his arms protectively in front of him. Hiro shuddered violently then collapsed, the hollow clanging echoing loudly. His blue eyes were black like the shadows in the corner.

"Hiro!" he called, scurrying forward and moving his bangs from his eyes. Fog crept over the floor, rolling toward Al.

Silver orbs swept upward. There stood the Kusabi; he was the last guardian on the way to the chamber. He hovered menacingly over Alphonse, spirits dancing around him_. He must have disembodied Hiro._ he pondered, standing and backing away. He ungracefully tripped over his feet, though his eyes remained locked on the messenger of Hell.

The ash-skinned predicate followed, lashing out at him one arm at a time.

_If he's so intent on guarding the chamber…_ Al thought as he shimmied backwards, avoiding the Kusabi's attacks. _Then the ritual must not have been completed yet… and if it hasn't been finished… then…_

"Brother's alive." He murmured excitedly, his eyes brightening.

Before he even realized it, the camera was in front of his eye, focused, and the picture had been shot.

The spirit hurled back, howling with rage. Alphonse smirked with new resolve. _Brother's alive…!_ he repeated, taking another shot and walking forward to push back the ghost.

He continued to shoot, and the Kusabi continued to reel back- attack- reel back- attack.

But, alas, each fight must come to an end.

The Kusabi lunged forward, intent on taking Alphonse's life for himself.

Al lifted the camera for the final time…

_Click._

The Kusabi screeched terribly, lashing out toward Alphonse. The creature's rotted and disgusting fingers grassed Al's slight arm, sending a deadly chill through him before he evaporated, leaving the spirits to finally be free.

Al convulsed violently, eyes dancing and stomach twirling to the song's deadly beat. His heart beat erratically with an unsteady tempo.

Visions flashed before him.

Two girls sprint from a mob of enraged people… one slips…

* * *

"Sister!_" she cried in vain. The other continues…_

_She is caught while the other makes it out of the village._

_She is crying._

"I'm sorry…_" she sobs. "_I… can't go back…_"_

_The girl who was captured is crying too, then, she laughs, louder, then louder. Bodies fall into place. They lay upon one another like stacks of logs, blood crashing like waves from the collective cuts and slices in them, staining the skin, hair, clothes, and eyes of the victims. Knifes dangle from her petite hands._

"Yae… _" she whispers venomously. "_You said that… we'd always be… _together_… that we'd be… _one_… but everyone… _died_…"

_Now, Edward stands before Alphonse, but he simply take Sae's- was it Sae? - position, laughing madly amidst the mountain of corpses._

_Ed sobs now as the vision changes, his head buried in Al's old metal body's shoulder. "_My fault…_" he mumbles, still moaning and sobbing. His breaths come in short, labored gasps._

_Sae whispers, "_Come now… we have a ritual to finish…_" _

_Ed and Sae are now standing hand-in-hand by a deep, black pit. Sae is wearing a delicate, oriental white kimono, and eerie almost glowing scarlet rope tied around her belly. Her skin is perfect and flawless._

_Ed, on the other hand, looks exactly the same as when Al last saw him: cuts on his cheeks, tattered clothes, and what's better, no red rope around his waist._

_Ed nods to Sae._

_Sae is smiling. She nods._

"Ready?_"_

"Steady…_"_

"Jump!_"_

_The two fall into the pit…_

* * *

Al's body thrashed wildly against his binds. He still convulsed and gagged; his eyes still were rolling in this head and his brow was drenched with sweat. 

Suddenly, all became calm, then he sat up, panting and yelling, "No!"

Hiro held him fast. "It's about time you calmed down." he announced, nodding.

Alphonse shook his head, trying to clear the fuzz from his brain.

He recalled the visions.

Brother…

"Brother!!" he yelled, trying desperately to escape from Hiro's grip. "Brother!- I've got to save him! He's going to- he's going to do that-"

Hiro didn't relinquish his grip. He shook his head and furiously snarled, "There isn't time!"

**What was that? CLIFF HANGER!!! Isn't time? For what? To save Ed? Oh, no! **

**Please, continue reading to find out! I'll have the next chapter up ASAP!**

**---Talim---**


	10. See No Evil

**DOUBLE UPDATE! WOOHOO! Alright, this is dedicated to my AMAZING editor, Kayleigh, who helped me write a certain part of this chapter! At least, she said it was cool... **

**Chapter 10- Crimson Buttefly- See No Evil**

"Wha- what?" Al mumbled. His voice cracked as his eyes welled up with tears.

_No…_he thought. _Brother can't be… be…_ Alphonse couldn't even think the word 'dead'.

A single tear sprang from his eye.

Hiro sat Al down on the ground then shook his hands and head ferverently.

"No, no, no! He's not dead!" he exclaimed, his voice raising an octave. Al's head jolted up, his eyes widening.

"What?"

"I meant, 'There isn't time to be freaking out! We have a ritual to interrupt' kind of 'there isn't time!', okay?" Hiro stood, holding a hand out to Alphonse. "So, are you coming? Or do I have to save your brother for you?"

Al sat for a moment in silence. When it finally sank in that he'd fallen into depression far too easily and that Edward was still alive- most likely-, he gripped the steely hand and pulled himself up, leaving Camera Obscura where it lay a few feet away.

"But," he began. "I saw Ed fall… with Sae-"

"You saw what would happen if you didn't save him." Hiro announced. "But we're not going to let that happen, right?"

Al shook his head violently. _Crack._ "Ouches!" he mumbled, rubbing his neck. "Something else to put on the list of, 'Not Used To's'… Whip-lash…"

Hiro chuckled. "I didn't think you'd let him die. So come on! Right down that staircase!"

"Wait!" Al said. Hiro looked to him. "I thought you were dead! Did he-?"

"Yeah, he just disembodied me. No worries!"

"Oh…" Al nodded understandingly.

The two now began their decent, falling deeper and deeper into the darkness. Symbols were etched deeply into the stonewalls, the stairs carved recklessly from the rock.

Red light flashed brilliantly front behind Alphonse, striking his attention. He spun to see Hiro flying backwards. The silver-eyed boy rushed to the suit of armor. "What happened?" he questioned.

Hiro sat up.

"Damn," he mumbled. "I didn't think that still worked…"

Al cocked his head to the said, raising and eyebrow in confusion.

Noting this, Hiro explained. "You see, there's a spell placed on these grounds. It keeps the spirits from leaving this chamber, so as not to haunt the townspeople. Also, it keeps spirits from entering and upsetting the gods. So I can't enter because this suit is all of a 'body' I have."

_So…_ Al thought. _Now I'm on my own…_ He nodded. He stood to face the challenge. "Okay," he said, curling his fist. "You just wait here. I'll bring Brother back in a few minutes!" With that, the blonde sprinted off, taking three to four steps at a time.

Hiro sighed. "No problem…" he mumbled. "It's not like I have anywhere else to be…"

----

Al's eyes quickly adjusted to the light. Immediately, he began registering the sights at the bottom of the stairs.

It was once again a plain gray room. A rock futon sat before a large, vacant expansion. The hole was a deep black, giving way to none of the possible secrets that could be held within its depths. People stood tall on either side of a long walkway. There was only one long row of them on each side, all holding staffs which they pounded on the stone floor. The people themselves all looked much like the Kusabi: gray skin, glowing eyes. The only thing difference were the souls missing from around them.

And there, at the end of the walk, was Edward, gripping Sae's hand. His legs were tensed; he was preparing to jump.

"Ready?" Al heard him ask.

_NO!_ Alphonse thought, lurching forward. "Wait, Brother! No, wait! Brother, wait! NO!"

Time seemed to slow down. At least, the time around Al. Edward just seemed to go even faster.

"Steady…" Sae said. The two leaned forward.

Al printed harder. _Must save Brother… must save Brother… must save Brother…_ His breathing was sporadic and his legs were screaming in pain and shaking under him, threatening to give way, but adrenaline is a lifesaver.

Suddenly, time reverted back to normal speed. Ed was now right in front of him.

"Jump!" they both called, springing up and out with all their might.

Al reached out for Ed… and missed. _No!_ A searing pain shot through his heart.

He lashed out with his other arm. Ed's arm was now gripped in Al's hand. Sae continued to fall, screaming as Al's shoulder was nearly ripped out of socket from the impact. A small _plunk_ was heard.

_Don't look into the pit!_ Hiro's voice cautioned. Al turned his head away, averting his silver orbs from the depths.

Alphonse sensed Ed's golden eyes on him. "Wha…"

"It's me, Brother." Al said, his voice cracking. _I did it._ he thought, smiling_. I saved him like he's saved me…_ "It's Alphonse."

"Alphonse…? But… your body… I thought you…" Ed sniffled. His voice heightened a few notes and broke. "I thought you were _dead_…" he whimpered in dismay.

Al smiled, closed his eyes, and shook his head. "No, I'm fine."

He could almost feel Ed smile. "I'm glad… But hey…" he mumbled, returning to his normal self. "How's about lifting me out of this pit? It's a little unnerving…"

Al chuckled and began to heave him up.

He was finally almost out of the pit…

_Slip._

Ed cried out and reached for his brother as he fell back, diving into the pit. Al's head turned and he swung out for the blonde, gripping him with both hands this time.

There was once again a large jerk, showing the hold was solid. Alphonse scooted forward slightly. _Whew…_ he thought. He looked at his brother, who looked smiling back at him.

Then he looked past his brother subconsciously… into the pit…

Al gasped.

Hundreds of bodies were planted down deep, deep into the pit. Creatures of the night and maggots and other unknown beings crawled across the bloody corpses. Spikes extended through the chests and other body parts of the dead. Eyes stared unseeingly into the distance. The children's limbs bent backwards and sideways, contorting them into mangled lumps of human carcass. Even some skin was being eaten away, bones exposed, organs rotting away, hair matted with blood; clothes were tattered. The smell itself, now that Al noticed it, was revolting, making him gag and cough. They seemed to reach out to him… crying out in agony and despair… begging for his help that he couldn't give…

Sae sat atop this mound of bodies, smiling, her arm pointing up toward Al. Her eyes were wide and it seemed almost as if she were taunting the boy.

_You're coming soon… my friend… Yae…_

"Al…?" Edward clung to the dazed boy. He swung to the side of the vacancy, grabbing the edge of the pit and pulling himself up. He looked at Alphonse.

He shivered uncontrollably. A single drop of crimson blood rushed down his pale cheek, cascading from his eyes.

The male began screaming, clawing desperately at his eyes and crying.

Ed's golden orbs widened as he lunged forward to aid his brother. He gathered the blubbering Al in a hug, trying desperately to calm him from whatever he'd been spooked by. "Al? Al! What's wrong, Al? Please, it's okay! Al!" The blonde shook the hysterical Alphonse, trying to snap him from whatever daze he'd fallen into.

Al continued to shake and sob, trying to get to his eyes. "I don't wanna see.." he moaned pathetically, fighting against his brother. "I don't… no… NO!" he reached out and held his brother, still crying. His eyes seemed glued shut.

Ed blinked. _What..? _"Al, look at me."

The boy shook his head violently. _I don't wanna see…_ he thought vigorously. _I don't wanna see… I don't wanna see… Brother… please…Make it go away…_ He buried his head deeper still into the blonde's chest.

"Brother, look at me." He said, a little sterner. Still, Al shook his head.

Finally, Ed grabbed the boy's chin and forced Al's gaze upon him.

The once silver eyes were now red, bloodshot masses. The pupils had either disappeared altogether or were just intangible through the red, giving his eyes a glazed look. Crimson was smeared over his face from him clawing at his eyes and from the blood drenched tears.

Ed gasped, waving two fingers in front of Al's face.

"Al, can you answer a simple question for me?"

He nodded, mumbling slowly and weakly, "Yes…"

"Good," he croaked. "Now… how many fingers am I holding up?"

Ed continued moving the appendages until Al responded, "Mmh…mhmm…"

"What?"

"Can't see. Don't know."

"What do you mean, 'can't see'?"

"I mean just what I say: I can't see how many fingers you're holding up! Therefore, I can't tell you how many! I can't tell you're even holding any up at all!" Al sobbed, digging his face into Ed, who patted his hair numbly.

There was a moment of silence aside from Al's sobs.

Finally, Edward began leading Al away. _Maybe…_ he thought. _Maybe it's only temporary… Perhaps he's not really blind… What could he have seen… that would cause this violent of a reaction…? What was in the depths…?_

"Al?" he mumbled, leading him up the stairs.

"Mm-hm?"

"What… what was in that pit?"

Al shuddered.

"You mean he looked? Even after I warned him!" The suit of armor loomed over the two brothers, blue eyes glowing. Ed jumped back, but Al pulled him forward again. "It's okay." Al told him. "It's just Hiro."

Ed shot him a questioning look. From the silence, Al inferred he needed to explain. "Remember when Sae showed up a few hours ago? You thought I was dead, but I wasn't! Then Hiro showed up…"

Alphonse told of everything: the body swap, the ritual, Sae and Yae… the only detail left out was what was in that pit. By the time he'd finished, they'd already reached the town. His eyes were closed the whole time. He'd resolved not to bother.

"And that's that." Al mumbled.

They all stood at full height.

"Actually, one more problem…" Hiro said, sadly.

Ed quirked a brow. "What's that?"

Hiro pointed. "They don't want you to leave."

Before them stood hundreds of "people", waving candles and knifes, anything they could get their hands on.

"Crap!" Ed swore, feeling around. "Camera… camera… Crap! Al, do you se-" he bit his lip, recalling Al's sight problem, then continued, " remember where you last saw the camera?"

Al cocked his head in thought, then slapped his hand over his mouth.

"What? What's wrong?" Ed questioned.

"Hiro!" Alphonse addressed. "Did you pick it up from earlier- before I went to get Brother?"

Silence ensued.

"Damn it! Now what are supposed to do?" Ed ruffled his hair angrily.

"Guess we'll just have to make a break for it!" Al exclaimed, taking a cautious step forward.

"But," Hiro started. "Al, with your eyes, you-"

"I know. But how else would we get out of here? I trust Brother. He can lead the way."

Both Hiro and Edward knew he had a valid point.

"I'll try to distract them as best as I can, okay?" Hiro told the brothers. The two blonde's nodded.

Hiro sprinted ahead, screaming his battle, "AH!"'s

"Brother?" Al whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Don't leave me."

Ed smiled and gripped his younger brother's hand tighter. "I'm not gonna leave you. No way, no how." He turned back to the parade of people.

He clapped, turning his automail right arm into a long, sharp knife to knock the bodies out of his way with.

"Ready?"

"Steady…"

"Go!" They both started running.

Hiro took out zombie after beast.

They dashed through the monsters, chasing their tracks through the town. The creatures followed. Mansion after mansion passed until, finally, they reached a long, broken bridge.

"What do we do now?" Hiro complained, slashing at the enemies.

Once again, Edward's hands met, leaving Al momentarily unlead. He touched the bridge, forcing the wood to extend along with the dirt and ground from the riverbeds. "Let's go!" he yelled, pulling Al behind him.

Across the bridge, all Al could hear was the light patter of his brother's and his footsteps. No metal clanking like there used to be…

He let go of Ed and turned blindly backwards. "Hiro!" he called. "Hiro! Where are you?"

The eldest Elric grabbed Al again. "Al, we don't have time!"

"But Hiro-!"

"Will be fine! Let's go!"

Hiro yelled back, "Go, boys! I can't leave- not yet! I belong here! I have to watch after this place! Get out while you can! Get outta here!"

Don't need to tell me twice… Ed thought.

Reluctantly, Al began sprinting off with his brother again.

Finally, two large pillars stood before them in the graveyard. Trees spread out in all directions, casting unsettling shadows to dance around them. The brother's stood hand-in-hand before the poles.

"I'm guessing… This is it…" Ed thought aloud.

Al replied, "Does it look like where we entered?"

Ed nodded, hoping he was right, since he didn't remember the entrance. _Oh, wait…_ he thought, recalling Al's condition, "Yep."

"Then let's go."

The two stepped forward, through the pylons, and the world began to change…


	11. A Bitter Reunion

**Alright, you're going to hate me... THIS IS THE FINAL CHAPTER! Yes! I finished the story! WOOHOO! Or, it could be... -tear,tear-**

**I really enjoyed writing this. Trust me, this is the fastest I've ever completed a story, even with the four month pause.  
I just want to thank everyone who helped me: SylverGryphon, Random-Ed-Fan, Lalics, WhiteWillow, RAD5005, Frozen, EVERYONE! Thank you for following through to the end, helping me, and giving me support through till the end!  
This chapter is dedicated to all of you! Thank you, and please, enjoy the conclusion of 'Crimson Butterfly...** ' 

**Chapter 11- Crimson Butterfly- A Bitter Reunion**

The man's hand landed hard on his desk, a hollow banging echoing off the walls. "Where the Hell have you been, Edward? You can't just disappear for three weeks and not expect to be in trouble!"

Roy Mustang ran a frustrated hand through his jet-black hair. His attitude had changed dramatically since Ed's arrival. At first, he was overjoyed. He'd even been worried about Ed's injuries, demanding to have them treated and what had caused them. But when Ed had tried to explain, Roy got angrier and angrier, not believing Fullmetal's crazy story.

"We called everywhere: the Rockbell's, East HQ, even Southern HQ! Where were you, really?"

Ed sighed, "You _know _where I was. I've told you before, I was-"

"In All God's Village? Taking out evil beings with a _camera?_ That place vanished centuries ago! No one can find it! And you say it's there, and not only that, haunted by the vengeful spirits? Ha! There's no such thing as ghosts or zombies or whatever the hell you claim! It wasn't real. You either imagined it or you were doing something you weren't supposed to be doing…"

"It _was_ real, though!" Ed yelled, ragingly. His eyes glowed furiously. "Look at me!" He pulled up his left sleeve, showing the long scar flowing down his pale arm. He pointed to the large bump on the back of his head, even the cut on it. "Do you think I just did this to myself- this is genuine! Those… Sae and her little cronies did this!

"And Alphonse, my little brother, is blind! You hear that, Mustang? Honest to God blind!"

"You said yourself it could be temporary. And how do you- never mind." Roy shook his head. "Ed, do you have any proof- aside for your wounds- that this place exists?"

Ed started to reply, then bit his tongue. "No, sir."

"Then you can't just expect me to accept that! We're alchemists, Edward, scientists! How can you believe that I'll trust that ghosts, curses, and the living dead truly are among us without cold, hard proof? I give you a simple mission, two weeks to complete it, and you come back a week late with some cock-and-bull story about whoever 'Sae' and 'Kusabi' and whatever the hell you said! I just need a strait answer: where were you really and what did you find?"

Ed bowed his head, his gold eye hidden behind curtains of blonde. He stood, swaying slightly as he attempted to catch his balance.. "I can't tell you anything more. You won't believe the truth; I'm not going to fed you crap in its place." He bowed. "Sorry for wasting your time, Colonel. If you want to find out the answers, go investigate it yourself." With that, the eldest Elric escorted himself from the room, leaving Mustang to himself.

The man's black eyes were troubled as he sat. He cradled his head in his hands. _What am I supposed to do with those two?_ he wondered.

_He couldn't be telling me the truth… could he?_ The Flame Alchemist shook his head as though trying to rid himself of the thought. _No, Edward's hiding something from me. But what? What could have happened to the boys in those woods that would bring him back in this condition? What could have happened that he wouldn't tell me up front?_

The Colonel thought back to what Edward looked like when he'd waltzed into his office: scratches decorated his face and skin. His clothes were torn and tattered, hanging tiredly off of his body. Hid golden eyes were dull and worn, circles under his eyes showing that he'd gone many sleepless nights. His head was blazing hot with fever and he'd nearly fainted upon arriving. Yes, terrible condition.

_And yet…_ Mustang thought.

Roy stood and began pacing._ Maybe and animal attack? No, he still would have been back in time… and he'd have been able to tell me…_

"Gah!" he cried out in exasperation, scratching his head violently.

"Is something wrong, sir?" Hawkeye questioned, raising and eyebrow in question.

Mustang jumped, spinning about to face the Lt. Colonel. "Oh, it's just you…" he mumbled. "No, I'm just pondering…"

"What happened to the Elrics?" Riza offered, pushing her blonde bangs from her eyes. "I recall he turned in a report explaining… Something about ghosts, wasn't it?"

Roy's charcoal eyes narrowed. "Exactly." He plopped into his chair. "You and I both know ghosts don't exist. And even if they did, how could they physically injure you?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, Colonel."

The two sat in silence for a minute.

Roy quickly stood, gathering his coat in his arms.

"And where are you going, sir?" Riza questioned, though she already could guess.

"I'm taking a vacation." he answered, slamming his door.

The amber-eyed girl sighed, smiling. _He can't let it go…_ she thought_. He has to know what happened to Edward and Alphonse._

"Just know," Hawkeye called out the door. "you're going to have a lot of paper work to do on your return!"

-----

Four days later, Roy stood the countryside of Resembool. The forest expanded before him; the moon bathed the wooded area in an eerie silver light across the grass and through the treetops, setting shadows dancing on the green foliage.

The Flame Alchemist sighed, rubbing his temples. Why am I even doing this? he wondered, brushing his black hair behind his ear. "Well," he grunted. "Here goes nothing…"

Mustang walked calmly into the wood, stepping carefully over fallen limbs and stumps. He occasionally ducked leaves-dodged squirrels and other fauna darting by.

Two pillars soon stood tall before him, décor being of blood red butterflies. _This was in the report…_ he thought, taking a cautious step forward.

_I'm… so sorry…_ a voice moaned, voice hitched in sobs_. I… can't go back…_

Roy cocked his head to the side. "What… was that?" he murmured. He thought nothing of it, continuing forward.

_You said… that we'd always… be… _together_… that we'd be… _one_… but everyone… _died_…_

Finally, the Colonel stepped through the threshold. The surroundings changed.

Buildings began to take shape; the sky turned a hideous gray color, though the moon shone a gratefully bright yellow light. The buildings towered over him, and a dense fog rolled in, coating the ground in its mysterious mist.

Blood was all over the buildings: the handles, the walls, the doors, everywhere. Scratches were etched into the lumber, showing prominent signs of a struggle.

"Shit…" Roy swore. _It was real…_ he thought. _This place. It exists! _

"Okay, that's enough for me!" he announced, turning to leave.

Roy jumped back, hands protectively guarding his face.

A young girl stood there, white kimono hanging loosely from her frame. Even her clothes were contaminated by the awful color of blood that surrounding the village. Her raven hair hung in front of her eyes, a wicked grin gracing her lips. Her pale hands were stained and she laughed lightly and happily- a chilling sound in a place as foul as this.

"Yae…" she whispered, though it seemed as though she were talking right into Mustang's ear.

"I knew… you'd come back… for me…"

Roy felt an odd sensation in his chest. He cried out in agony, falling over as the pain of fire burned at his skin, every breath he took felt as if it held thousands of white-hot knifes, the wind burned and stabbed at his skin. His eyes rolled restlessly in his head and his body convulsed, as though trying to escape the anguish it was being put through.

And then, Roy Mustang stopped moving. He sat perfectly still on the ground, his eyes dull and staring at the ground.

A small, silver orb penetrated from his chest, flying calmly into the Kusabi's waiting grasp.

Sae grinned, still glaring. "We have no use for single children such as yourself."

The girl with a heart as dark as her hair, a mind as evil as Satan himself, stepped carefully over the deceased man, whistling merrily and smiling with glee.

The End!


End file.
